Wang Qiqi could have simply mentioned this matter and let it go; she hadn't intended to get involved, certainly not to spend time figuring out the logistics, and even with an investment now, at most she could only offer an opinion.

Unexpectedly, the next day, while she was still sound asleep in her warm bed, Song Yao shook her awake. Wang Qiqi didn't open her eyes, but she sat up, yawning constantly. Song Yao looked at her with exasperation, "Get up and take a call."

Take a call? Wang Qiqi cracked open an eye to look at Song Yao. "Whose?" Who would have the audacity to call so early in the morning and disturb her? Didn't they know she had flown back across the ocean, attending an opening ceremony and then a dinner, and was utterly exhausted? Couldn't they wait until she'd rested a bit? "Tell them I'm still sleeping and to call back at two this afternoon." Wang Qiqi quickly calculated the time difference with Han Tao—it should be evening there, but Han Tao was probably still working overtime. As for Juliet, she should have flown out early this morning; she had delayed leaving just for the beauty salon opening. As for Bai Ge, Wang Qiqi remembered she was still inspecting the new branch office in the Southwest and hadn't returned. Running through the list, she couldn't think of anyone she knew well in the capital. As for the less important figures, Wang Qiqi declared her brain wasn't sharp enough to remember so many people.

Having said that, Wang Qiqi immediately flopped back down, paying no mind to Song Yao's troubled expression.

Song Yao watched Qiqi flop back down so candidly to rest, feeling both annoyed and amused. "Hey, get up! It’s Ziwen calling." Song Yao mused on the difference in their temperaments—one was always rushing, the other was now dragging her feet. "It’s already ten o’clock. Get up, take the call, eat something, and then go back to sleep." Thank goodness Aunt Luo had already gone to the shop; otherwise, what would the mother-in-law think seeing her daughter-in-law sleeping past this hour?

Ah, Song Ziwen? Hearing that name, Wang Qiqi immediately knew why he was calling. This guy never got up early unless there was profit involved. Wang Qiqi admitted her head was throbbing. "Sister, don't expect me to offer any brilliant ideas for my brother while I’m half-asleep. Besides, if I'm not participating in this, don't drag me into it." Wang Qiqi wiggled and burrowed deeper into the covers, curling into a ball.

Song Yao knew Qiqi had no intention of answering the phone. Only now did she fully understand why Qiqi had insisted repeatedly yesterday that she wouldn't be part of the investment—it turned out she was clearly signaling she didn't want to contribute any ideas. She felt helpless; even if she physically dragged Wang Qiqi out of bed, Qiqi would be putting in zero effort. Fine, in that case, she would just tell Song Ziwen directly and see how he handled it.

Wang Qiqi waited a long time, and after hearing the sound of footsteps followed by a closing door, she knew Song Yao had left. She slowly emerged from the covers. Just as she was about to check if Song Yao had tried to trick her, she found Shi Man staring intently at her, which startled Wang Qiqi so much she nearly jumped out of bed. Who enjoys seeing someone whose hair looks like a madwoman’s first thing in the morning, with eye-gunk still stuck in the corners, while some beauty stares at you nonstop? "Hey, Manman, I’m not Old Feng; stop practicing your sultry glances on me."

Shi Man kept staring at Wang Qiqi, making her increasingly uneasy. She could only then explain the likely reason Song Ziwen had called so early.

Shi Man had initially thought Song Ziwen was calling to ask Wang Qiqi to persuade their parents. She hadn't expected it to be about this. "You’re amazing. You’ve thought up another way to make a fortune. Why aren't you joining in?" Didn't Qiqi always just suggest an idea and then leave everything else for others to execute? Since this proposal was Qiqi’s own idea, it couldn't possibly lose money. Shi Man was genuinely curious why Qiqi was unwilling to join. Money? Although it was a factor, knowing Qiqi constantly relied on loans suggested that wasn't the real issue. And hadn't her relationship with the Song siblings always been managed well? Shi Man truly didn't understand why Qiqi was refusing a partnership.

"You calculate how many projects I’ve partnered on with my brother and sister," Wang Qiqi said, her relationship with Shi Man being far deeper than with Song Yao, so there was no need to hide anything.

How many partnerships? Shi Man counted on her fingers one by one. "You’ve really worked together on quite a bit. Are you worried about..."

Wang Qiqi hummed in affirmation. "My relationship with my sister has been quite good over the years, but my relationship with my brother is not necessarily so good, especially since I stopped him from partnering with Gao Kai earlier this year. Even though it turned out I was right, my provocative actions won't sit well with my brother. Plus, have you noticed how little my sister-in-law has been ordering for goods?" Although Wang Qiqi didn't pay much attention to the proxy buying business, the monthly shipment volume was there, and after subtracting what Song Yao needed, one could gauge Yang Jing’s quota. "Some things are better left unsaid; once they’re spoken, civility ends."

Wang Qiqi knew that if she fell out with Song Ziwen, it would only benefit Wang Rui, which Wang Qiqi absolutely did not want to see. If Wang Rui, supported by Song Ziwen, managed to convince Gao Kai to marry her, even though Wang Qiqi looked down on Gao Kai as a person and his wealth, Wang Qiqi absolutely would not allow Wang Rui a chance to turn her life around—let her just remain Gao Kai’s mistress.

Shi Man sighed. She couldn't exactly say this was Yang Jing’s fault. A person’s new ideas stemmed not only from external factors but also from their own perspective. "Then don't partner with him. No matter how much you make domestically, can it compare to what we make in the US? Old Feng mentioned that those initial investments of ours yielded returns several times over. I heard many people are now practically begging to invest?"

She recalled when Han Tao and the other two had a little idea and created something, seeking investment—so many people had dismissed the project as mediocre or offered ridiculously low prices, ultimately benefiting them. Shi Man's requirement had been to see a hundredfold return, and she’d have been ecstatic. To think it might multiply even further! This success had curbed Shi Man’s desire to chase every get-rich-quick scheme; running around busily really wasn't as rewarding as that initial investment.

Wang Qiqi remembered John’s increasingly frustrated looks every time she requested leave and found it amusing. "John is truly suffering a sweet agony lately. A throng of investors is hounding him. If foreigners weren't so focused on private life, I think they’d storm John’s house. I hear John gets a headache the moment work hours start." Actually, John just wanted Wang Qiqi, who was lazily using company resources to make money while nestled in the office, to get out there, but unfortunately, Wang Qiqi was completely immune to his tricks, even using domestic matters as excuses to be evasive. As for Fatty and Han Tao, John worried that if he let them interact with the investors, they might get impatient and pick an unreliable partner. Thus, he was stuck in this agonizing delight.

Shi Man recalled how Wang Qiqi had bragged on the plane about successfully dodging John's traps and slipping away, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Did you know? Old Feng’s superior found out he holds company stock and has asked several times if he's willing to transfer it, price negotiable." Shi Man had been laughing at John’s predicament, but suddenly remembered her own husband was running into trouble too.

Wang Qiqi had been about to share stories of how John couldn't even eat a peaceful meal because those investors were chasing him around the office. Hearing that Feng Xuanxiang was facing similar issues made her pause. Thankfully, this was happening abroad; if it were in China, Wang Qiqi felt the chances of Old Feng retaining his stock would not be optimistic. But overseas, while they might not openly seize the shares, they could use various means to pressure Old Feng into giving them up. In the face of massive wealth, how many people lose their reason? "What is your Old Feng’s inclination?"

"He won't transfer it. Old Feng said the worst they can do is make things difficult for him; he signed a contract after all. He’ll just have to be more careful." Although Old Feng made it sound trivial, Shi Man knew it wasn't that simple, as the man often wore a worried expression when she wasn't looking, but he wouldn't elaborate, and Shi Man felt awkward pressing him. "If it comes to it, he'll just find a new job when the contract expires." If that failed, they could just stay home and invest in stocks. Their expenses were small. While the IT sector couldn't distribute profits yet—or rather, still required investment—other areas were generating returns. If all else failed, he could just translate manuscripts; surely two healthy adults wouldn't starve?

As Shi Man spoke, a flash of displeasure crossed her eyes. Wang Qiqi understood this wasn't as easy as she made it sound. She reached out and patted Shi Man’s hand. "The stock cannot go. Even if it has to be sold, it won't be now. This company is going to be a massive treasure trove in the future." If they sell, it should be after the IPO for the real harvest.

Shi Man nodded, then yawned before slowly getting up. "Oh, Qiqi, I have to go back to my hometown the day after tomorrow. Mom says since I’m back, I should pay a visit to the old home." She had gone straight to the US after finishing her Master's degree, and according to her mother, she hadn't shown off to any relatives yet. Shi Man was quite resistant to such posturing; what was there to boast about? Lives are lived individually. Look at Chen Yan: she dated a guy and constantly bragged about snagging a golden goose. Now look at her—she probably couldn't even cry properly. The man found a mistress before they even married, and rumor has it the mistress is pregnant, with the conception date falling during Chen Yan's wedding period. This clearly showed Gao Kai gave her no respect. For a marriage like that, Song Yao certainly wouldn't have gone through with it; she wasn't lacking suitors, especially someone as proud as Chen Yan to tolerate that.

Wang Qiqi hadn't wanted to bring it up, but since Shi Man was heading back, she relayed the news about Chen Yan that Song Yao had mentioned yesterday. Seeing Song Yao's look of disbelief, Wang Qiqi quickly added, "I don't know if it's entirely true; Wang Rui mentioned it, and maybe she was just gossiping."

Gossip? Shi Man didn't see it that way. "My mom said she’s been seeing a gynecologist a lot lately. It might be true." If it were true, Shi Man thought, Chen Yan would probably be intensely jealous seeing her return to her hometown in such style. Having received this news, Shi Man naturally had a plan for dealing with it. If Chen Yan didn't provoke her, Shi Man said she wouldn't make a fuss, but if she attacked first, Shi Man asserted she wouldn't let her off lightly.